Marco Asensio stars as Real Madrid beat Eibar, win fourth straight

Marco Asensio had a hand in two goals as Real Madrid recorded their fourth successive La Liga win with a routine 3-0 success over Eibar.

Spain midfielder Asensio saw his in-swinging cross diverted into the net by Eibar defender Paulo Oliveira with 18 minutes played at the Bernabeu before sweeping in the second 10 minutes later.

Champions Real, who had dropped seven points in their opening four home games, never looked in danger of slipping up in this one and substitute Marcelo completed the scoring late on to leave them third in the table, five points adrift of leaders Barcelona.

Manager Zinedine Zidane opted to shuffle his pack following the midweek Champions League draw with Tottenham, making five changes, including leaving Marcelo, Toni Kroos and Karim Benzema on the bench.

The alterations appeared to have little disruption early on and they had the opportunity to go in front inside two minutes.

Superb skill and vision from Asensio led to a clear sight of goal for Isco, but the creative midfielder's side-footed attempt was comfortably saved by Marko Dmitrovic.

Eibar boss Jose Luis Mendilibar was clearly expecting a tough test in the Spanish capital and he named a more defensive lineup for the trip south.

Despite the conservative approach, the visitors enjoyed a number of forays forward and Real goalkeeper Kiko Casilla, standing in for injured first-choice Keylor Navas, had to be alert to keep out Joan Jordan's half-volley.

After failing to fully assert their authority in the opening stages of the match, Real edged ahead in the 18th minute, albeit with a slice of fortune.

Asensio received the ball back from Isco following a corner on the right and his inswinging delivery was flicked into the far corner by Eibar's Portuguese defender Oliveira.

Visiting goalkeeper Dmitrovic could do little to prevent the opener, but he was culpable for Real's second which arrived 10 minutes later.

Isco's whipped cross from the left was met by a half-volley from Asensio, whose effort flew through the grasp of the Serbian and into the bottom right corner.

Eibar, who are now winless in five, had a half-hearted appeal for a penalty early in the second period when Japanese midfielder Takashi Inui went down under a challenge from Real's Brazil international Casemiro.

At the other end, Cristiano Ronaldo had been a peripheral figure for much of the match and he would have been disappointed not to get on the score sheet after breaking free and seeing a low shot repelled by the legs of Dmitrovic.

The second half was played at a very slow tempo and any doubts about the result were extinguished with eight minutes remaining.

Brazil left-back Marcelo, a 71st-minute replacement for Dani Ceballos, exchanged passes with fellow substitute Benzema before turning inside the area and directing a precise shot into the bottom right corner.

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